Nine Star Hegemon Body Arts

Chapter 6566 Little Crane

The void ripped open, revealing the white-robed Long Chen. While a faint weariness clung to his face, not a speck of dust stained his white robes.

“Evilmoon, I know you can hear me. You know who I am, and you know I am the best match for you in this world,” said the white-robed Long Chen.

Evilmoon remained silent. It hadn’t said a single word.

The white-robed Long Chen continued, “Only in my hands can you unleash your maximum power. Only with me can you return to your former glory at the fastest pace. I was the one who helped you take that final step into your second form. So why won’t you help me?”

After entering its second form, Evilmoon had grown unimaginably sharp and could withstand the full divine power of the throne. Yet, it refused to communicate with the white-robed Long Chen at all, much less help him battle.

Had Evilmoon been willing to fight, the white-robed Long Chen would have tested out Ye Boran’s power. He wanted to see just how strong a Divine Sovereign was.

However, Evilmoon’s detachment left him uncertain. In his current state, challenging Ye Boran outright would cut off his path of retreat.

What baffled him most was Evilmoon’s attitude. He had used the Purgatory Flames to extract a vast amount of blood soul energy on the battlefield, helping Evilmoon break its shackles and complete its second form. Yet, it showed neither gratitude nor excitement.

Evilmoon seemed very detached when it came to the white-robed Long Chen.

Even moments ago, when cutting through the void, Evilmoon could have made the process effortless by lending even the smallest sliver of its power. However, it remained uncooperative, leaving the white-robed Long Chen feeling a little bit tired.

“Because you are not him.” Evilmoon finally broke its silence.

“Of course, I’m not. I’m stronger than him and a better match for you. I am your best choice,” declared the white-robed Long Chen.

“No. He is the best partner for me.”

“Him? A piece of trash who couldn’t help you reach your second form? How is he the best choice? Not only is he weak, but he also raises a group of weaklings. Without me, all of them would have died in the heaven region’s battlefield. Only the weak cling together; the strong stand alone. He can’t even understand that—he’s the epitome of stupidity.” The white-robed Long Chen sneered.

After shaking his head contemptuously, he continued, “Evilmoon, although I don’t know your past, I know your origins are extraordinary. Believe me, if you join hands with me, no one in the nine heavens and ten lands can match us!”

“I believe that,” Evilmoon replied.

The white-robed Long Chen smiled. “So you will work with me?”

“No!”

“You—” The white-robed Long Chen’s expression instantly sank.

Before he could erupt, Evilmoon added, “Although my power hasn’t recovered and my memories are incomplete, I know I was similar to you once. If I were still that version of myself, I might not reject you. But now... you are no longer the best choice.”

“Why not?” demanded the white-robed Long Chen.

“You’ve said so much, and it’s clear you don’t want my help in conquering the nine heavens and ten lands. In your eyes, I am simply a tool to conquer the world.”

“It’s a collaboration!” corrected the white-robed Long Chen.

“What kind of collaboration? One where we scheme against each other? Use each other? Discard each other when convenient? Do you want to be cast aside like trash?” Evilmoon taunted, its voice sharp. “Do you know why the Heaven Cauldron turned Qian Jie into an item-slave, but the Earth Cauldron willingly acknowledged Long Chen as its master?”

The white-robed Long Chen was startled by this question.

“Why?”

“Because the Heaven Cauldron has the same ambition as you. Other than itself, it doesn’t trust anyone. At first, I also couldn’t understand why the Earth Cauldron acknowledged Long Chen as its master. I considered such a thing insulting. But one day, I understood that humans have something called trust—an emotion that lets you entrust your life to someone without hesitation. You say you want to collaborate. But tell me, if I am in trouble one day, will you risk your life to save mine?”

“What?” The white-robed Long Chen was stunned.

“He would!” Evilmoon said without hesitation. “You call it foolishness, but it was that very foolishness that won over the Earth Cauldron... and me. Long Chen went against the cauldron’s advice many times. He did things we both thought were irrational. But those so-called foolish actions proved his heart.

“In the heaven region’s battlefield, the Earth Cauldron could have escaped. But for Long Chen, it chose to merge with the Heaven Earth Cauldron, used it to seize Heaven Earth energy, and helped Long Chen undergo nirvanic rebirth. Although it was a failure in the end, the Earth Cauldron entrusted and had done everything for Long Chen.

“Long Chen taught us many things. We are no longer merely weapons. Through him, we learned about emotions. We don’t have flesh or blood, yet we can feel the warmth of people’s hearts. We don’t have souls, yet we can sense others’ feelings. We no longer judge purely by logic. I even feel as if I have grown a heart of my own, and that heart tells me what is right.

“In terms of benefit, you are indeed the best choice. But my heart tells me you are wrong.”

The white-robed Long Chen was silent. He had never imagined Evilmoon would say such things, nor that the qualities he prized most would be considered flaws.

To think that brash, foolish, imperfect Long Chen earned such loyalty...

Seeing his silence, Evilmoon said, “It’s not that there’s no possibility for us to work together.”

“What do you mean?” asked the white-robed Long Chen.

“The day you abandon your wisdom and act as foolish as Long Chen, then it will be possible.”

“That’s impossible.”

The white-robed Long Chen understood what Evilmoon was saying and rejected the notion immediately.

Just then, the void trembled. Rainbow-hued divine light swept across the heavens, and a brilliant arc like a living rainbow flew through the air.

It was a flock of radiant Rainbow Cranes. The wondrous light coming from their wings as they flew actually left the white-robed Long Chen dazed.

They bathed the world in auspicious light so pure it seemed to wash away every trace of his frustration. Any discontent over being rejected by Evilmoon vanished without a trace.

“Big Brother Long Chen!”

Just then, one of those cranes cried out joyfully and flew down. On the way, she transformed into the form of a twelve-year-old girl who smiled in delight at the white-robed Long Chen.